January

13                    The age for conscription of single females in Britain is lowered to 19

 

21                    Child born in Smethwick Birmingham to Flora & Henry Lake 

 

March

3                      Panic at the sound of the new anti aircraft rockets caused a crush at Bethnal Green

                        Tube Station killing 183 people

 

15                    Kenneth Lake (my 1st cousin once removed) from California. In the US Air Corps

                        stationed at Fort Douglas Salt Lake City Utah USA

April

19                          Henry Lake prescribed glasses at the Opthalmic Centre, Oaklands Camp, Manningham,

                       Bradford, Yorkshire

 

May

7                      Allies capture Tunis ending the North Africa Campaign

 

13                    Britain claimed to have more German prisoners than Germany had

                        British

 

16/17               RAF 617 Squadron carried our its latest mission “Operation Chastise” it became known

                        as the Dam Busters Raid

 

June

1                      Anthony Eden announced the Empire casualty list for the first 3 years of the war

                       92,089 killed, 226,719 missing, 88,294 wounded and 107,981 captured

 

3                      William Lake (my father) enlists into the army at Warley Birmingham age 29

                        No 14618094 Private Lake Royal Corps of Signals

 

18                    Radar became the official term for Radiolocation

 

23/24               The Battle of Bamber Bridge took place in a Lancashire town between American Troops.

                        When 2 American Military Police arrived at the Hob Inn to arrest a black soldier who

                        was out without a pass, an argument ensued with British locals & British servicemen

                        siding with the black soldier. The MP’s left the pub to seek reinforcements and intercepted

                        a group of black soldiers on their way back, a melee broke out, guns were drawn

                        and several men were shot. Things got out of hand with machine gun fire in the streets.

                        It did not quiet down until a general arrived and placed a black officer in charge of the

                        situation. Private William Crossland had been killed, 3 men wounded and 35 arrested

                        These war years were the first time people in Britain were witnessing the troubles between

                        white and black Americans and their segregation policies, which did not exist in Britain.

                       

25                    William Lake was given 48 hour leave

 

July

1                      William Lake passed CAP Gas Chamber Training

 

5                      William Lake passed fired war course Rifle and Bren Gun

                        Rifle 50 1st Class – Bren 40 2nd Class

 

7                      Henry Lake fails an army medical being graded "E" permanently unfit for military service

 

9                      Allied invasion of Siciliy

 

14                    William Lake completed primary training

 

17                    Henry Lake Discharge Certificate issued to take effect from 13th August

August

2                      U.S. Navy vessel PT-109 is sunk one of the survivors is future President

                        Lieutenant John F Kennedy

                       

5                      William Lake passed D M Gas Training

 

13                    Henry Lake officially discharged from army but had to take up a reserved occupation.

                        Due to his previous work in metals he was sent to the Ministry of Aircraft Production

September

3                      Allies invasion of Italy

 

25                    William Lake was given 48 hour leave

 

October

10                    Chiang Kai Shek takes oath to become Leader of China

 

15                    William Lake has 7 days leave

 

16                    Anti Jewish riot in Rome. The Jewish quarter is surrounded by Nazis and Jewish residents

                       are sent to Auschwitz

 

                       The US 1st Army establishes its headquarters in Bristol

 

23                   The Burma railway opens

 

November

1                      Herbert Lake (my Uncle) crossed border into USA at Sweet Grass County Montana

                        whilst in Canada with the RAF.

                      

11                    The total evacuation of the town of Portmahomack in Scotland began to make way

                        for a rehearsal of the Normandy landings

 

15                    The allied expeditionary air force is established for the invasion of Europe

                       

16                    Total evacuation of the village of Imber in Wiltshire for US troop training

                        Also total evacuation of part of South Hams in Devon for rehearsels of Normandy landings

 

26                    Colombia declared a state of “belligerency” against Germany

 

                        Prince Hubertus of Saxe Coburg, Great Grandson of Queen Victoria die                 

December

1                      Winston Churchill, Franklin D Roosevelt & Joseph Stalin agree on Operation Overlord

                        now better known as D-Day

 

2                      Conscription to coal mines in Britain is announced

 

                        Pigeons, White Visions, Wikie & Tyke became the first recipients of

                        the Dickin Medal to honour the work of animals during the war

 

3                      The Battle of Monte Cassino began

 

22                    Children’s author Beatrix Potter die

 

28                    All Kalmyk inhabitants of the Russian Republic of Kalmukkie were deported by the

                        Soviet Union to Siberia. Many die on route

 

                        Also in December the construction of Mark 1 Colossus Computer the world's first

                        totally electronic programmable computing device was built to assist with cryptoanalysis

                        at Bletchley Park. It measured 7 x 17 x11 feet (2.1 x 5.1 x 3.3 metres) and was built

                        from standard telephone exchange equipment.